Can You Tackle These Gut-Busting Greater Cincinnati Food Challenges?

Bardzilla Challenge

Bard’s Burgers, 3620 Decoursey Ave., Covington, 859-866-6017
The Feat: Take on the 11-patty Bardzilla burger, plus a pound of fries and a shake ($40)
The Time Frame: 60 minutes.
The Bardzilla is back and bigger than ever. If 10 cheesy patties weren’t difficult enough to consume, you now have to finish off 11 — each weighing a third of a pound — to champion this endeavor. The beast of a burger comes complete with extra cheese, lettuce and pickles, plus a pound of fries and a 16-ounce shake. As of August, 100 people had attempted to tackle the Bardzilla, but only three had been successful — although some have come painfully close.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Uber Terminator Challenge

Mecklenburg Gardens, 302 E. University Ave., Clifton
The Feat: Consume a “super hot” 2-pound mettwurst measuring over 30 inches long ($25)
The Time Frame: 60 minutes.
More than 100 challengers have faced The Terminator since Tom McKenna, a regular customer and longtime friend of the restaurant, came up with the idea for it about 10 years ago. “Tom was part of the first Terminator Challenge with professional eater Jammin’ Joe LaRue,” says Grace Harten, Mecklenburg’s marketing and events manager. “Jammin’ Joe managed to rise to the challenge twice, finishing the entire entrée within 6 minutes.” Every challenger to date has been a man, but, according to Harten, the future is female
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

No Freakin’ Way Challenge

Blue Ash Chili (9565 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, 513-984-6107; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason, 513-492-9650; 11711 Princeton Pike, Tri-County, 513-873-4663
The Feat: Conquer an 8-pound plate of Cincinnati-style chili ($39.99)
The Time Frame: 60 minutes
Two and a half pounds of spaghetti. Two and a half pounds of premium chili. Two pounds of shredded cheddar cheese. A pound of jalapeño caps. That’s a lot of chili, and you’ll need to clean your plate to conquer Blue Ash Chili’s No Freakin’ Way challenge. The restaurant is known just as much for its eclecticism — the flagship Blue Ash store channels an old-fashioned diner with classic records lining the walls — as it is for its Cincinnati-style chili served 3, 4, 5 or 6 ways; the latter was even featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins & Dives in 2010. But if six ways (a standard serving of spaghetti, chili, cheese, onions, beans and sliced jalapeños or fried bottle caps) just doesn’t cut it, the No Freakin’ Way Challenge takes things to the next, larger level. Eighty-three people have attempted the challenge — including Josh Denny of the Food Network’s Ginormous Food — but only five have won. Not even Denny was victorious.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Legend of the Drunken Fireman

Giuseppe’s Pizza (2607 Madison Ave., Covington, Ky., 859-814-8444
The Feat: Finish an entire 7-pound Fireman Pizza ($50)
The Time Frame: 59 minutes
Behold the Fireman Pizza: a behemoth of a pie measuring 20 inches in diameter and weighing in at a whopping 7 pounds. Co-owner Greg Routhier says the dish is inspired by a gargantuan pie once ordered up by four hungry firemen. “The legend came to be when four off-duty firemen, enervated by their rigorous but heroic duties, stopped by to enjoy a few cold beers and some hot, fresh pizza,” he says. “The four heroes, unable to agree on toppings, boldly chose every single one available.” That extensive list of 20 toppings includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, beef, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, olives, pineapple, extra cheese and green, jalapeño and banana peppers; when plopped on a pizza, all those toppings measure nearly 3 inches high. The staff was flabbergasted when the firemen finished off the pizza completely, inspiring the restaurant to challenge hungry patrons to do the same. Seven have attempted the feat, but only one has succeeded. “This challenge is not for the faint of heart or those with a sensitive palate,” Routhier warns. “Choose your beverage wisely…”
Photo: Hailey Bollinger